EU production growth expected to continue

Published 8 June 15

EU milk production has been forecasted to grow further in 2015 and 2016, according to DG Agri estimates. Estimated figures for the top 10 producers in the EU, presented at the latest Milk Market Observatory meeting, are account for circa 85% of EU milk production. According to these figures, production in the EU’s top 10 nations could grow by nearly 1.5bn litres per annum for the next 2 years.

Change on previous year

2015

2016

Germany

1.3%

1.0%

France

0.5%

1.0%

UK

1.5%

1.0%

Netherlands

1.5%

1.0%

Poland

1.1%

3.1%

Italy

0.7%

0.5%

Spain

1.0%

0.5%

Ireland

4.0%

3.0%

Denmark

1.0%

1.5%

Belgium

-0.5%

0.6%

For the current year, the majority of the increase is expected to come in the latter stages as most of these countries reduced milk production in quarter 1 of 2015 to limit the impact of superlevy. The prospect of more milk could keep pressure on prices for the foreseeable future, subject to a significant upturn in buyer demand or any potential impact of weather/disease.